Brainstorm of Professional Development Ideas for VSTE's presence in SL
Book a Month Club - participants read a professional book each month and meet virtually at VSTE HQ to discuss findings.
Meet Up before ISTE, DEN, and other SL events - VSTE Members meet 30 min prior to ISTE Socials and Speaker series to gather, help each other with voice set up, etc. and go to ISTE meetings en masse
Improve and update VSTE building - assign each floor to someone specific and give rights for updating and improving usefulness to Virginia Avatars and other visitors
Create an inworld data base of VA teachers accessible from VSTE HQ in SL of avatar name, job title, district, notes on interest regarding collaboration - include some fields like "My Fav Web 2.0 Tools" and "Blog URL" etc
Marie Booz is willing to lead something at VSTE HQ
The evening after the Conference session on SL hold a sandbox event where SLers at the VSTE Conf help newbies in a face to face get together. Folks unable to attend can join us and get help too if needed. Fara Faust is willing to help newbies at VSTE conference if we have an evening sandbox event.
Al Doss and Kim Harrison are willing to do a conference session at VSTE on SL as part of your Personal Learning Network.
Present a workshop at VSTE in Va Beach where participants create an avatar and begin their Second Life.
Hold a playground event in the evening during VSTE 09 where folks can connect from the Hilton and around the state in SL at VSTE HQ. "Unconference sessions?"
Lisa Alconcel is willing to help with hands on workshop
Add Torley's videos on a player at VSTE on the newbie floor.
Help with voice and listening from a distance, camera controls before going to ISTE or DEN events.
Here is a thought that has been bothering me some lately... Is there someone, or several someones, who have spent time on VSTE and are still around but thought there was no interest, who will be upset if they are not included in our plans and maintain a key role? Only Janene and Danny can answer this. I see several Av names in the VSTE HQ building.
VSTE in SL Year Round- We need someone to take charge of the space and develop it as a place for our members to meet. We are fairly open. I think it would be great to have occasional sessions for new people where you answer questions and take them on a tour of your fave places. I also think that it could just be a meeting place before another event…as in let’s meet at VSTE HQ and all go to the DEN or ISTE meeting together. I think new people would be more likely to venture to a bigger environment where they may not know anyone. VSTE Conference- Yes, we think a conference session is a good idea. It is too late to do a paid workshop. Those are already in place and there are not as many. However, there is a lot of room at the Convention Center to set up a SL Playground. We would have to supply the laptops but I think we could market it as BYOL and then maybe if each of you could provide 1 or 2. then you would have a few stations available. You really wouldn’t be able to handle more than that because I think you all would take turns manning the Playground. I can provide you with a projector. Now, the biggie. Our relationship with NECC works a lot like VBCPS with VSTE. VSTE will have a strand. We are right now in the process of developing our 15 ideas to present to NECC. Then we will solicit presenters for those 15 topics. We are planning on a SL workshop and a SL presentation. I was angling for the workshop because I know they pay you and that will offset the conference costs for you. Danny wants the presentation because it is higher exposure-could be up to 150 people in there. The focus we are looking for is the ITRT as audience and how SL can be used for professional development. I think it would be great if we could try out some things as well in our VSTE space so we aren’t just talking about where you go for prof dev but how you can organize opportunities.
Brainstorm of Professional Development Ideas for VSTE's presence in SL
Here is a thought that has been bothering me some lately... Is there someone, or several someones, who have spent time on VSTE and are still around but thought there was no interest, who will be upset if they are not included in our plans and maintain a key role? Only Janene and Danny can answer this. I see several Av names in the VSTE HQ building.
VSTE in SL Year Round- We need someone to take charge of the space and develop it as a place for our members to meet. We are fairly open. I think it would be great to have occasional sessions for new people where you answer questions and take them on a tour of your fave places. I also think that it could just be a meeting place before another event…as in let’s meet at VSTE HQ and all go to the DEN or ISTE meeting together. I think new people would be more likely to venture to a bigger environment where they may not know anyone.
VSTE Conference- Yes, we think a conference session is a good idea. It is too late to do a paid workshop. Those are already in place and there are not as many. However, there is a lot of room at the Convention Center to set up a SL Playground. We would have to supply the laptops but I think we could market it as BYOL and then maybe if each of you could provide 1 or 2. then you would have a few stations available. You really wouldn’t be able to handle more than that because I think you all would take turns manning the Playground. I can provide you with a projector.
Now, the biggie. Our relationship with NECC works a lot like VBCPS with VSTE. VSTE will have a strand. We are right now in the process of developing our 15 ideas to present to NECC. Then we will solicit presenters for those 15 topics. We are planning on a SL workshop and a SL presentation. I was angling for the workshop because I know they pay you and that will offset the conference costs for you. Danny wants the presentation because it is higher exposure-could be up to 150 people in there. The focus we are looking for is the ITRT as audience and how SL can be used for professional development. I think it would be great if we could try out some things as well in our VSTE space so we aren’t just talking about where you go for prof dev but how you can organize opportunities.